Can drying machine



April 18, 1950 c. J. KOLPER ETAL CAN DRYING MACHINE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1947 Z. mi., mi mbv? M/ wf W Ok KW C. J. KOLPER ET AL April 1s, 195o CAN DRYING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS t'dw Patented pr. 1.8, 1950 UNITED" STATES PAL'IflElNTl OFFICE 2,504,932" CAN DRYIG Minoli Charles .l. Kol'per V and ,.D'ifega,V Baltimore, Md.;k assignors yto GfibbsA &Q9mp2lnl7i Incorpe` ratedgialtimore, Md., a corporation of Mary land Application July 22, 1947,sia1iv'o. itas n 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a can drying machine. `In the canning industry, it is the usual practice, after the cans have been lled with vegetables, fruits, or other food products and then processed, kto subject the cans to a bath or stream of cool Water for the purpose of Washing and partially cooling the same preparatory to the appli; cation of identifying labelsV or Wrappers, 1n so doing, the cans Vretainvarying amounts of water and unless the samev is'removed it is not possible to make the labels adhere to the cans. l Various drying structuresfhave heretofore been developed or suggested, but they have `failed to' provide an ,effective removal of this water from' both the cylindrical and end surfaces of the cans in an automatic manner and in keeping with the usual continuous conveying movement of the cans from the Washing Vand cooling apparatus to the label applying machines. l y ,Y l

It is va primary object of this invention to provide a drying machine which maybe positioned between a can washer and a label applying ma chine, and which is `effective in absorbingthe moisture from both the cylindrical and end surfV faces of the cans in rapid succession as the sameH are conveyed from the washer to the label apply` ing machine. Y

It has been found y cans have been processed, Washed and'cooled in any of the Well known Ways, adheres to the cans, for the most part directly beneath the beads or flanges onl the ends of the cans, and which, if not thoroughly removed, will seriously interfere with the labeling or wrapping operation.` y K It saccordingly a further object ofthe invention' to provide a can dryingrmachine which is effective to thoroughly wipethe ends of the cans and remove all Water which may have accumu# lated beneath the beads or anges on the ends of the cans.

A still further object of the invention isfthe provision of .a can drying machine having proviiY sion for the delivery of cans'k at `successivelyy spaced* intervals Within the range of a traveling. Water absorbent belt' which dries thevcylirdrical surfaces of the cans and advances same toa sta'l tion having provision for the drying of the ends of thecans, the cans at such station being re-H tained against advancing rmovement until re-V leased by the successivejcans advanced'by the belt as same aredelivefred thereto.

that Water, after the filled:

A Suu further 'object of the invention is 'the pro:

vision ofa can drying machine which isrela-A tively simple in construction,A highly efcient'in;

operationyand which"embodisvarious adjustable 55' 2 features whereby rendering the machine capable of operation on varidus sizecans `with a minimum ofch'ange in' the' structural velementsv of the maeine@V :Otherfobjects,andadvantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the follow-1 ing'l detaileddescription; taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: i

yFigure l is, a sideelevational view of the im-A proved machine iny accordancewith a preferred structural embodiment thereof, the `Water-collectiing pan being shown in longitudinal vertical secion. v. l l.

figurez is 'a tpj piaavniw of tnemachine, the Water paninot being'shownand other elements being shown in v part and in. dotted lines.

Figure v3 is/)a side ellevation'alview, on an enlarged scale", ldfthecan stop and releasing means at the can end drying, station. p i

Figure 4"is an axial sectionalv View Vof one of the can,enddryrlestrutuiea Y 'Eigurehisjasectional view at right angles to thef axis ofV theV can end drying structure of Figure'4.` Y

vFiguras isan'eniargea fragmentn edge View ofthe cari` drying' andadvancing' belt. Y

neferring powa/*n1 catania the drawings, the machine includes a suitable' yfran'i'ewhich may be of various: constructions butrwhich isv illustrated in'asuitablV form" as einlcodyingV a pair of verti-v cally` 'dispose and' laterally'4 spaced front uprights Illla'ndla pafr of similar, rear uprights Il. The upr ghts are arranged in rectangular position as vieweclfrom' above'and their lower ends are seated onhlthebbttom I'2 of a .Water-collecting pan i3.

A pair .of bars I 4' are suitably secured to the upper ends ofthevuprights lil `and Il and are disposedy horizontally and in parallel relation above the pa'nf'l3. n l

A 'barV I "5v ef fs`ec`:'tion extends transversely of and betvv'ee'n the' front'uprights lll' and the rear uprights' l'l and'theendsofsuch barsy are conncted'tojtheubiight's for vertical adjustment in sin, min the 1arte; y,

,A paula pf can-enga'gingjtaers @fr rails n arej I1 y are,ifntt-flrruptedlaty a can-end dryingy station S,

Each plate [B pivotally supportsapair of rollers 20;, gliri substantial;aimemntpwith the raus l1,

:e p v cled With a flange 2| for @gag-legi @aangewend 0i the caril The circumference of roller 20 is substantially tangent to the can-engaging surface of the rail I1, while roller 2| is disposed at a slightly greater elevation, and the rail I1 is provided with a plate 22 having a rounded rear end 23, for a purpose later to appear.

A belt 24 is provided for advancing the cans toward the can-end drying station S as well as for drying the cylindrical surfaces of the cans, and for this purpose the belt is preferably constructed of a band of rubber 25 (Figure 6) to which is suitably secured a water-absorbing chamois band 26. The belt is disposed above the rails i1, and is trained about a pair of rollers 21 and 28 adjacent the front and rear ends of the machine, respectively, and the'front roller 21 is carried by a shaft 29 rotatably supported in the bars Ifl, while the rear roller 28 is carried by Va shaft rotatably supported at each end in a block 3l adjustable lengthwise of the bars by a screw 32 having swivel connection with the block. B y this construction, the roller 28 may be moved rearwardly to tension the belt24.

A gear wheel 33 is secured to shaft 29 outwardly of one of the bars I4, which gear wheel is Vin mesh with and driven by a smaller gear wheel 34 fixed to a shaft 35 extending transversely over the bars I4 and which is rotatably journaled in plates 36 suitably secured to the inner faces of saidbars.

The shaft 35 has xed thereto a pulley 31 which is driven by a belt 38 from a pulley 39 on a motor 40 which is disposed on a platform 4I supported above the bars I4, as by plates 42. The shaft 35 has ixed to its end opposite pulley 31 a pulley 43 which is drivingly connected to a pulley 44 by a crossed belt 45, .whereby pulleys 43 and 44 rotate in opposite directions.

The pulley 44 is xed to one end of a shaft 46 which extends transversely above the bars I4 and is rotatably journaled in bearing plates 41 suit- A shaft bearing member 53 is disposed oppo- '4 Figures 4 and 5, comprises a plurality of superposed chamois discs 64. These discs, while being generally circular, may be somewhat irregular as indicated in Figure 5, and the plurality of discs are threaded onto the lower end of the shaft and clamped between a pair of washers 55 and cooperating nuts 66. The discs need not be tightly clamped. At any rate, they are substantially loose adjacent their peripheries and in fact dangle away from each other, as indicated in Figure 4.

site each of the recesses 52 and includes a pair of ears 54 swingingly supDOrted on theadjacent shaft 5,5. A vertically disposed shaft 55 is Vrotatably supported ,in the bearing member 53 and xedly supports a bevel gear 56 at its upper endr which is in meshing engagement witha bevel gear 51 xedto shaft 50.

Thus, it will be seen that shaft 55 is rotatable by gears 4S, 49, 55 and 51 while it is also free for swinging movement abouttheaxis of shaft 50. The bearing member 53 together with its journaled shaft 55 is yieldably urged toward the recess 52V by means of a pairof springs 60, one at Y each end of a plate 6I and with the correspond ing Vends ofthe springs connected with the plate. The opposite ends of the springs are connected to bar i4 and the plate is adjustably connected withY member 53 by means of a screw B2 for adjusting the tension of the springs. An adjustable stop 63 is provided for each member 53 to limit inward movement thereof.

The shafts 55 extend downwardly into proximity'to the can end drying station S, and each such shaft is provided with a can end wiping structure which, as is more clearly shown in The compression of the discs can readily be Varied by the washers and nuts 65, S8, and their position axially of the shaft changed. Furthermore, the depth of the package of discs can be varied, but such is preferably slightly greater than the radius of a can end to be dried.

- The lower reach of the belt is downwardly tensioned byrmeans of a plurality of leaf springs 61 whose free ends engage the belt from within and whose, opposite. endsare suitably secured to rods GSeXtending through laterally alined apertures in bars i4, and the rods at corresponding endsthereof are threadedand nuts 69 engage such threaded ends and normally frictionallyfengage one kof the bars I4. The rods 68 are slotted as at 10 whereby they may be turned as by a screw driver when the nuts 69 are released, and in so to the end drying station S while the outer chamois layer 26 of the belt absorbs the waterfrom the cylindrical surfaces of thelcans.

In order that the ends of the cans, be thor-L oughly dried lit is necessary that the successive cans be retained at the drying station for a relatively short interval of time, and accordingly stop means are provided for arresting advancing! movement of the successive cans when they reach the station S. Such `stop means comprises an' elongated bar 1I disposed between the rails I1 and pivotally connected thereto as at 12 adjacent one end of the bar.` The opposite end of the bar is of arcuate form and extends upwardly between the two pairs of rollers 20, 2|, asis clearly shown in Figure 3 at 13, which provides a can stop. rlhe arcuate stop 15 is yieldably urged upwardly into operative position by means of a spring 14 adjustably connected to the bar-1I as at 15 and adjustably connectedat 16 to a clip 11 supported by a member 1S whose opposite ends are suitably supported by the uprights il)V and II. Upward movement of the stop 13 is limited by a chain 19 whose upper end is connected tothe bar 1I and whose lower end is adjustably connected as at tothe member 13.

A canC is shownin each of Figures l and 3 resting on the rollers 20, 2l withthe stop 13 disposed adjacent the cylindrical surface of the can rearwardly thereof.- In this position, the belt 24 will cause the can C to rotate aboutits axis and on the rollersV 20, 2| Vand the opposed chamois structures including the discs 64 will be rotating, 7

whereby the combined rotation of the can about its horizontal axis and the rotation of the chamsince it is desirame 'that tneans beretardeq f lation, and for this reason the machine'includes" can-Spacing" llaist The." @WSI-)39mg means comprises a pair of rubber or rubber-faced rolls 82 iiiedto a shaft 8S which isrotatably journaled in arms Sfi' Iadjacent their'free ends, the opposite ends of the armsbeing pivotally connected to bars [4,"a`s 'atti The arms 84-areinterconnectedfby a strfiit i`6j,^thereby providingf'arigid frame.' `This fr'ameis y'ie'ldably urged vdownwardly by Vmeans ciA a coil spring 81, and anl adjustable stop 98 limits Lsuchdownward movement. Thei'sha'ft 83 isprfovided with a'sprooket'wh'eelt which is drivin'gly v"connec'tedby a' sprocket-chain 99 with a smaller sprocket wheel 9| fixed to the end of shaft 29.

As a can C is fed between the rails Il and rolls 82 it will be advanced relatively slowly as compared with the movement of belt 24, and since the period of time in which a can is engaged with the rolls 82 can be determined through vertical ad justment of the rolls by means of the stop 38, the spacing of the cans as they engage the belt 24 can be readily varied.

The stop bar 'Il is provided with a stop release member 92 which at one end is connected to the bar and which at its opposite end curved upwardly. Thus, when a successive can C is advanced by the belt 24 from the spacing rolls 82, it engages the upwardly curved releasing member, as in Figure 3, and forces the stop 13 downwardly and the advancing can CV engages the dried can C and pushes it forwardly as at C", the can C riding down over the plate 22 to avoid dropping of the can when riding off the roller 2l.

A wringer roll 93 is provided and the opposite ends thereof are rotatably journaled in blocks 94 between which and the heads of adjusting screws 95 are disposed coil springs 96. The wringer roll engages the belt 24 opposite roller 21 and is in adjustable yieldable engagement therewith.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing disclosure that a can drying machine is provided in accordance with this invention which, while being of relatively simple and rugged construction, is adapted to eiectively dry both the cylindrical and end surfaces of cans with a minimum of eX- penditure of time and effort on the part of an operator. Y

In operation, the cans to bedried will be presented to the can-spacing means including the rolls 82 by a conveyor, by which the cans are moved from a combined washing and cooling device. The cans will be successively engaged by the rolls 82 which will be adjusted in a manner to deliver the cans in spaced successive relation to the action of the belt 24. The cans, upon being engaged by the belt, will roll on rolls or tracks I1 and thereby be advanced toward the can end drying station S. Furthermore, the entire cylindrical areas of the cans will be engaged by the chamois band included in the belt construction, and such areas or Y surfaces will be thoroughly dried.

The cans upon reaching the end drying station. will be retained by the stop means and will be rotated on their axes for operation of the rotatable chamois discs on the ends thereof, the cans being rotated on horizontal axes and the chamois discs rotated on vertical exes. The chamois discs will be yieldably retained in pressure conta-ct with the can ends, whereby an effective wiping action will be attained.

The succeeding spaced cans beine advacted.brv the belt will successively release the stQP means, and, by contact with the cans at the drying staf tion, pushsame therefrom for drying `action on the following cans beingjadvanced by thebelt- Since the lower reach of the belt 2e is verticallyI yieldable and the can end wipinglstructures are laterally yieldable, cans of slightly different di' ameters and lengths may be dried without any adjustmentof the machine.

`For use with cans of substantially diliferent di-l mensions, the rails Il may be adjusted bcth'ver-l tically and laterally and a belt 24- of a different widthv applied in the machine.

While we have disclosed our invention in accordance with a Vsingle specic embodimentthereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only; and? not restrictive,"the scope of the invention being deiinedthe following claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. A can drying machine comprising an elongated frame including a pair of parallel laterally spaced bars, a pair of tracks engageable by the cylindrical end portions oi cans and supported by said frame substantially below said bars, a pair of rollers carried by shafts rotatably supported by said bars above said tracks, a belt of a width substantially equal to the lateral spacing of said tracks trained around said rollers, with the lower reach of said belt operative to engage the cylindrical surfaces of cans and advance the cans along said tracks, .a pair of substantially vertically disposed shafts, each rotatably supported by one of said bars adjacent each track, said last shafts being directly opposed laterally of the tracks and depending from said bars, a can-end wiping member carried by the lower end of each of said last named shafts, and power and drive means for rotating -said roller shafts and said vertical shafts.

2. A can drying machine according to claim 1, wherein said last named shafts are supported for swinging movement laterally of said rails, and adjustable yieldable means for urging said shafts toward each other whereby said wiping members will effectively engage the opposite ends of the cans.

3. A can drying machine according to claim 1, together with stop means operative to retain cans in a position to be dried by said wiping members and against advancement by said belt for a pre- -determined interval of time, and releasing means associated with said stop means and operative by a neXt succeeding can to release the stop from the next preceding can.

4. A can drying machine according to claim 1, wherein said belt comprises an outer band of water-absorbing material, and a wringer roller supported by said frame and yielolably engaged with said belt in opposition to one oi said rollers.

5. A can drying machine according to claim 1, together with vertically adjustable can-engaging rolls disposed in advance of said belt and operative to engage a portion of the circumference of successive cans for spacing and delivering same to said belt.

6. A can drying machine according to Vclaim 1, wherein said wiping member comprises a plurality of superposed water absorbing disc like members through which said vertical shaft extends, and means carried by said shaft and operative to adjustably compress said members as well as to vary the position thereof lengthwise of the shaft.

'1. A can drying machine according to claim 1,

wherein said frame is supported in a Water-co1- lecting pan with said tracks disposed above the top of the pan. K r

8. A can drying machine according to claim 1, together with a plurality of leaf springs disposed between the upper and lower reaches of the belt and having lower free ends engageable with the inner face of said lower reach to downwardly tension same for firm gripping contact with cans advanced thereby, the upper ends of the springs being secured in rods extending transversely through the frame, 'nuts on corresponding threaded ends of the rods for binding same against rotation in the frame, and slots in said ends of the rods forreceivng a too1 for rotation of the rods to adjust the springs upon release of the nuts.

' CHARLES J. KOLPER.

yFRANK DREGA.

RFRENCES cITE The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

2,410,213 Herro et a1 Oct. 29, 1946 

